Victorian_Femininity,_Industrialization,_&_Morality

The Victorian Era, which ran from 1837 to 1901, is seen as a realistic illustration of the stimulating period when imperial expansion, economic reform, and social transformation was at its maximal degree, especially in respect to the transitioning performance of the ladies at the time (Cummings, 2008).Yet, the change was slow but apparent for women as they faced the obstacles of male domination and restriction to the home. Despite masculine oppression, women established a source of freedom and self-reliance through fashionable expression and began to outmaneuver themselves of family control as new opportunities were available. The alteration fostered a strengthening spirit of independence in the woman that drew a new idealistic picture for women in England and soon universally. (Jenkins, 2008) The Victorian period is named in courtesy of Queen Alexandrina Victoria who lived from 1819 to 1901. At the time of her coronation, respect and honor towards the Crown was low; however, Queen Victoria ensured the protection of her people and even requested to be informed of all political issues. Queen Victoria is known for her stabilizing influence because she was on the throne for so long, having the longest reign than any English monarch. Her success in keeping stability within her lands was the key factor in the development of a new era of rapid changes in the economy and the material culture of life. (Russell, 2008) Queen Victoria epitomized the period as the domestic age “par excellence”, for excellence (Russell, 2008). She came to represent the truth that lies within feminism. Queen Victoria was a moralizing stimulus, who defined the ideal woman not as a fragile and submissive figure of romantics, but rather an occupied, competent, and imaginative icon who found strength from her moral superiority, and whose virtuous manner was displayed through the service of others. She and her beloved husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and their nine children set a standard of domestic morality and domestic closeness which deeply encouraged the importance of moral attitude that the Victorian middle class lacked and was in need of supportive spirit, but not so much the aristocracy that remained largely amoral and lived a loose lifestyle. She was the very model of marital constancy and harmony. Queen Victoria is sometimes referred to as “The Mother of the Nation”. It was clear that the Victorian family lineage models a lasting, domestic happiness. Queen Victoria symbolized the idealistic centralization on family, motherhood, and respectability; she was the depiction of middle-class femininity and domesticity. (Jenkins, 2008) By the time when Victoria came to the throne as Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, England had already become a huge empire that included a quarter of the worlds’ population. In 1976, Queen Victoria also became the first Empress of India, and kept the throne until her death. It was an era when industries grew, spirits were high for new opportunities, and inventions were plentiful, and this marked the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. (Victorian Visions of Global Order, 2008) Enormous growth was seen in all industries, due in part of factories and steam power which allowed manufacturing on a much larger scale and rapid pace. The most distinguishing factor of the Revolution was the connection that formed between the theoretical scientific idea and practical technology. Machines were invented that transformed the way products were made and changed the life patterns of almost the entire nation. The nation also became the strongest shipping power in the world, providing many jobs for businessmen of the middle class and encouraging more exploration and expansion of British territory. The economy experienced a large scale of booms and busts. The British government did not interfere and allowed the concept of supply and demand run its course; they advocated the principals of a free market economy as shown in Dante’s Inferno. (Stevenson, 2001) Intellectual and valuable inventions were developed during the Industrial Revolution. Victorian Visions of Global Order, 2008) One product was the electric telegraph that advanced communication speed. The light bulb illuminated the homes of the wealthy and amazed people everywhere; however, the cost of it left many homes unlit until the 1940s. The rate of transportation increased as never seen before through the development of steam powered engines for cars, trains, and boats. A process called chromolithography was introduced by Godefroy Engelmann in 1837; the purpose was to reproduce famous original paintings with more vibrant colors and sharp images. (MacKenzie, 2001) As advances in speed were made, it created a huge demand for workers to be employed into the new factory towns, so people who had worked on traditional farms on the countryside were forced from the comfort of their rural homes to seek new adventure and a more modernized life. However, their arrival to the cities was not of any fortune or comfort as they had dreamed; instead, it brought hardships to the entire family. In fact, 80 percent of the population lived in the cities, working for 16 hours a day for a salary that did not even provide basic necessities. Furthermore, living conditions were disgraceful, with poor sanitation, overcrowded apartments, and lack of food that led to many fatal diseases. Starvation and unemployment became common as the years of industrialization progressed. Yet, the struggle established an excitement in every individual, giving pride in taking part in developing a more improved and industrialized nation. It was a time of realizing the freedom each citizen possessed. (MacKenzie, 2001) As economic transition was in effect, authors were accurately keeping a record of life at the time on paper through fictional novels which was the main form of literature written in English. These novels followed the genre of Gothicism with satirical humor and themes such as love, supernaturalism, class conflict, greed, and violence. For instance, the most notable novelist was Charles Dickens who most distinctively defined the social conditions and conflicts and produced novels that captured the interests of the increasing middle class. Another renowned writer who depicted the middle class was Dicken’s rival, William Thackeray, who is most acknowledged for Vanity Fair which gives a historical delineation. In addition, on the outskirts of the cities, the Bronte sister, Anne, Charlotte, and Emily, wrote novels from a women’s point of view which was considered unaccepted behavior at the time. They focused on the conflicting conflicts of gender and class. (Stevenson, 2001) Although the law illegalized female authors, women found the courage to express their thoughts and their interpretation of life. They wanted to voice and reveal what is true to them. They even contributed through advertisement columns of magazines and newspapers. This was the beginnings of the women’s rebellion for independence and acceptance in all the authorities of men. Mary Anne Ellis was another audacious vibrant woman who used a pseudonym to conceal her feministic identity. (Markley, 2007) When a woman came of marrying age, she had no input in the marital decisions; marriage and childbearing was considered a women’s career as well as a moral duty towards society. Therefore, relationships bound by marriage were mostly artificial. Frequently, men chose the woman based on the amount of property they owned. Once vows were exchanged, the men automatically received the entire woman’s inheritance. It was not until 1887, when woman could own property by the Married Woman’s Property Act. Due to unhappiness and abuse, some women chose divorce as a path of escape although she would be denied interference with her children and would lose complete acceptance from society. (Jenkins, 2008) On the other hand, if a woman did not marry, she usually became a governess, maid, or, under unfortunate circumstances, a prostitute. In 1858, there were more than 7,000 prostitutes in London alone. It was clear that prostitution and venereal diseases were on the rise. The visibility of such impurity was known as the “Great Social Evil” that suffused all corners of large cities. In an effort to decrease prostitution, the Contagious Diseases Acts was passed which led to the establishment of the feminist group known as Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts. (Jenkins, 2008) As a common belief, prostitution is known to arise from the uneducated and poor lower social classes. However, the author Charlotte Bronte explains that in a different view, a woman’s observing eye. She states that an ignorant girl from the countryside or different region may entire London unknowingly and may vulnerably fall prey to the trade of prostitution. Bronte means that anyone who is not of social awareness is susceptible in a bustling society. Besides, ignorance and lack of wealth and position, the key factor of prostitution was distinguished through the woman’s love of finery and dress. As new fashion was advertised by the royals, the common women looked upon such grace and beauty with strong desires to create their own expressions of exquisiteness, so bringing herself into the trade did promise them their passion of finery yet was kidnapped of the moral feministic soul. Although, the Victorian women experienced various challenges, it modified to a more settled and comfortable surrounding for the next era of women. (Russell, 2008) The Victorian Age was an extremely diverse and complex period that brought about extensive changes and previously inexistent wonders. The period distinguished a unique culture with growing freedom of personal expression and thought which led to more dynamic written works. It was, indeed, the precursor of the modern era, especially in prospect to women and their transformation to a life of ethical independency. (Cummings, 2008)